Can filling machine



May 19, 1936.

G. D. GARDNER CAN FILLING MACHINE FiIed Jan. 15, 19:54

Games D, G

INVENTOK ARDNER Patented May 19, 1936 2,041,060 can FILLING MACHINE George D. Gardn r, San Jose, (1Jalif. I Application january 15, 1934. Serial No; 706,613 12 claims. (01. 226-49) 1 V This invention relatesto devices for cutting i'ruit and for depositing the cutiruit in cans.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a simpler and more, efilcient means for cutting-fruit and for filling the cans therewith than heretofore Other objects and advantages will appear in drawing.

- In the-drawing, Fig. 1 is a sideview of my de- -10, vice, partially broken away to lit the sheet.

1 Fig. 2 is an end view of my device, partly in section, and with the cutting knives of Fig. 1 re- I moved for clarity.

I Fig. 31s an enlarged fragmentary .view of a portion of Fig.1 with a} part, broken away to show the cutting knives in their, position relative to the means for carrying theiruit therepast.

Briefly described, the device shown in the drawing is particularly adapted Ior bisecting cherries The cherries are eachsupported in a a recess in the outer peripheral side oi a rotatably mounted drum or cylindrical conveyor and are retained therein by the cylindrical wall of a housing substantially enclosing the drum or cylindrical conveyor. A cuttingknife is ,disposedwith its edge in an annular slotextending across through the recesses for carrying the cherries, so that the cherries are bisected as the cylindrical conveyor is revolvedandthey are carried past the knife. The housingenclosing the cylindrical conveyor is provided with a feed opening at the top and a discharge opening at the bottom with g i the knife extending across. the recesses intermediate -said openings; hence the cherries are v deposited in the recesses at "the top of the cylindrical conveyor, are carried past the knife and are discharged through the discharge opening into cans presentedbelow the discharge opening.

-wherebythe cylindrical conveyorwill be rotated tocarry cut cherries overthe discharge opening only when a can is inposition tQXeceivethe cut fruit, and Lhavealso, provided improved means for the applicatlonof fluid pressure behind the. cut pieces to eject the piecesfot fruit from the recesses only when a 'canis in position i to receive said pieces, and furthermore I have provided means for depositing a predetermined pressure means that positively ejects the fruit pieces from the recesses.-

, FurthermoreJ have Pmvidedmeans in my dethe following specification and t I have provided improved means in device vice ior accurately regulating the number of cut pieces that are discharged into each'can asdesired. x

In detail my invention comprises a substantial- 1y enclosed cylindrical housing [disposed with its 5 flat opposed sides vertica l. This housing is supported by a', frame 2Tabovea can conveyor 3 adapted tocarry cans 4 insuccession therebeneath in a position to receive pieces of the out fmit; V 10 A horizontally disposed shaft -5 "isrotatabiy' mounted in bearings 6' 'on thesides'of the'housing and the" shaft extends axially through the housing. A disk '1' axially secured to shait-5 within-the housing is provided at its outer edge 16 theicans'which I will term the can conveyor.

Thecylinde'rj comprising the i'ruit conveyor is relatively thick 'radially,'and is provided around 25 its outer peripheral side with'a double row or: equallyspalced, axially aligned, outwardly opening recesses 9, each recess" being of size and'formed,

f to receive an individual cherry;

Aieed opening l0 intheI upper side of the hous- 80 ing communicatesbetween a hopper. l3, for a quantity of cherries, and the recesses inthe fruit conveyor as the recesses pass the openingwhen the fruit conveyor is rotated: "A vertical wall I! extending paralleljlof'the rows of recesses-"and disposed'therebetween, divides the opening; I! so a'sto direct, the cherries to either of therows of It will be seen-fromjthe foregoing that as the cylindrical fruit conveyor is-revolved past the t opening l0 that is filled with cherries from the hopper, an individual cherry will drop'into each recess in the conveyor, and when the cherry filled recesses'pass theopening, the'wall oi the housingl will retain the cherries in the recesses.

"At the bottom 01. the housing is a discharge opening II that communicates directly between the recesses in the cylindrical fruit conveyor and "the outside. Thus, if the cherries were hard pellets, instead of variable sized sticky fruit, they 50 would drop freely out of the recessesas-the.re'- cesses were uncovered by the discharge opening upon rotation of the fruitconveyor. Cherries, however, tend to remain in the recesses,fand I have provided means that I will later describe roi- cherries being carried past the discharge'opeuing.

On" one side "of the"housing and' be the feed opening and the discharge'open ing inthedirectionot travel or the truit'conthe teed opening,- 1 provides pair or Y circular cutting knives llmounted onfashatt as rotateblymounteddn inopposite sides his su d h WM to aside oithe housing as i m side 01- is provided, th a pair to psss'an edge of each of the'knives through, and the cylindrical fruit "provided with a pair of grooves or slots all. each i; "vides mm: for rotatingi -the' nected by a belt a tea onshalt lltpro in the willibe by, as the fruit conveyor is and from the knives the bisected-cherries will-continue in to overthe I: Since my invention isparticularly deposit a predetermined number of cut cherries a5 charge opening.it desirable that none bummer-ne he 4 7 charge opening-unless acanisiniposition' to i "them a v J 4 I therefore provide in extend scrossthe psth-oitravel oithe cans]. at

4"5 sndjiower hearings aim the side oi the housing 7 and respectively, A is. se-

on said shaft adjacent the upper end thereor, which gearmeshes witha gear llrotat- 1! m u ed n e t nd e o'ris n fl stub thstjisj at one-end to the housing.

arm llprojects Misses of gear I 7 side, ot the cylindrical fruit conveyor and open on is, said arm being} mvottny st in;

- outer-end toan oi. ll, the'opposlte end 7 not the I! beins pivots-11y connected to cne n 9 sa mi l-1 m that is-in. the 101111.011 70KB, thelink posed at its end, the ot 'the "lheopposite end oi arm is pivotallysecured to Becured eni ma l the side oi" the housing is a ratchet gear 32, Wedge M -01 whichjextends betweenthearmsoi yoke'll. A-pawi a is pivotaily secured atoneend at 18" fthearm" 221s swimgaside'byone of-the advancring butwiil notopenrnntii' the is in s,

position to receivefthei'ruit js'nd the'muteon todeposit its truit into'the mflo I I to an arm 84,- which arm isjpivotally at one end'on shaft I so vasto revolv'eireely on the shaft, and the opposite end of arm is is con- -pitman with the crank.

' the pawl.

whenpverthe v V V I I -'Ihisimeanscompriseealhoilowpressinechamthe pin proiectoutwardly of opposite sides 0! i The arms oi yoke ilfas alreedy lie respectively on opposite of the upper portion of the-ratchet I2- and thdouter endxo! thelpawl 5 Ills adapted toengsle the ratehetite eth.

The arm oi the yoke are sadisposedthatthe projecting ends of pin II will rest on'theupper sides oi the arms so the outerendoi the pawl' r'tnentcnet upon. up-, 10 ntioi the you is, However, when.

the pawl isrevolvedaround the ratchethy movement or the arm 34 thst supports the inner end;

of the pawl; and the yokellis down so thatthe end of the pawl isintlie teethgoi theratcheh i5;

theratchetandyby conseduence; the fruit conveyor, will beadvancedin 'the direction at the I! is'normally means of a tension spring, which so secured at side'oi" the ma gutg p m ene wyoee-a u indica' seenth'at the yoke?! 5e so i as to permit the pawl-to ratchet, only when 22 is and moved by' 'ene or eonve'yoi'; and

since crank ili'isalwsysrotating the"pawlll'to will, byeonsequencqturn the-ratchet andiruit'v conveyor will be co conveyersothata that onlyt'wo be" disposed overope'ning ll or eiilit hisected 0 n m m. e latedhythesise rie min ill ansthethroworv h 3'4"1 I j i witha'teirdegi'ee-otzsatistsctionpro f videdthe cherries donut-stick in'th'e mass failto drop out whentherecesses/ere 1 {by opening, Boweveg'sfohe of a.

wi l' fl k ea ies i-| 1'm in henc P1 l vide buds, fitted mmperipheral side that is the area f peninggl a stationary ma 1, as d to th uemm m. s mirror e.

loommunic'etes with'the pressurecham- "in the bottom of A fluid pressure iine llfextends irom' the chamber toi' ut t0 7 1 side thezhous'ing'an'd canconveyorpast the lower end of 28.; Adjacent the.

lower a tumn theline is provided 7 with have llfadapted'tdbe' by I cash I. sfecuredon theend otfthe shatt. is 65 so that thefvalve is actuated toopenwhen Alike mm" mm t cli si L f spring a; the valve t tomsticauy close hy' .means of a springin saidvaive, said spring not '7 b ins shown since such standard; 7h

adjust a'hlefat-its'supper'end re:

Iprefertousefriutsyrupinthepressureline since it isdesirable" that arquantity of syrup be injected into the cans together with the pieces of fruit. This insures a solid pack when the can is iilled, since the fruitsyrupwillifill allof'the interstices between the fruitpiecesl. it is injected into the can together with' the:fruit. Otherwise it isnecessary to either shake the cans, with like- -lihood of injuring the fruit, in order toinsure the sprocket l! of conveyor 3.

It is manifest, ofcourse, device can be adapted to other fruit than cherries, and that the device can be without the cutting knives if desired for merely depositing a predetermined number ofpieces of fruit. and a predetermined amount of syrup into cans. Alsoairpressureor other fluid pressure canbe used in place of syrup under-pressure. 7 3

I also provide different sized funnel-like attachments for securing 'over the discharge opening I I i where smaller sized cans are being filled;

, 'Having'described my invention, I claim:-

lyApparatus for depositing fruit into cans comprising means for positioning a can to, re-

ceive the fruit, means arranged-and adapted to convey the fruit to a can so positioned, means arranged and adapted to eject a vpredetermined number of individual fruit from the fruit convey-. ing means into said can upon the can being positioned to receive the fruit,'and means for regulating the number of individual fruit to be ejected into said can by the fruit ejecting means, and means arranged and adapted to actuate the fruit ejecting means only upon the can being positioned-to receive the fruit. v

2. Apparatus for depositing fruit into cans comprising means for conveying the fruit along a path of travel in spaced relation. means for successively positioning individual gays adjacent a point in said path for receiving individual can so positioned where by ii'uid pressure is applied for ejecting a" predetermined plurality of individual fruit from said path into said 3. Apparatus for depositing fruit into cans comprising means forconveyingthe .fruit along a path of travel in spaced relation, means for successively positioning individual cans adjacent a point in said path for receiving the fruit from the fruit conveying means, means actuated by the individual .can so positioned yhereby fluid pressure is applied for simultaneously" ejecting a predetermined plurality of individual fruit from said path into said can.

4. Apparatus for depositing fruit into cans comprising means for conveying the fruit along a path of travel in spaced relation, meansfor successively positioning individual cans adjacent apoint in said path for receiving the fruit from the fruit conveying means, means actuated bythe individual can so positioned for ejecting a predetermined plurality of individual fruit fromsaid path into said can, and means arranged and adapted to variably limit the numberof individfflflt adapted to be ejected by the fruit ejecting means as desired. n

One manner of doing so iswtoprovide-a the can so positioned for ele t ng a predeter- 'n1ined number of individual fruit from saiducircular. path into said can, means adjacent a m from the fruit conveying means means actuated by the ,5. Apparatus for depositing fruit into 5 cans comprising means for positioning arcan to receivethe fruit,'means arranged and adapt to convey the fruit to the can sopositioned means actuated by the can whereby fruit syrup under 5 pressureis applied against the; fruit forejecting the fruit intosaid can together with a quantitylof fruit syrup upon the can being positioned to receive the;- fruit: I

6.- Apparatus for depositing a plurality of pieces of fruit into cans comprising meansfor conveying apluralityof individual fruit lnspaced relation along apath of traveLecutting means disposed across said path for cutting, the individual fruit into several pieces as the fruit is conveyedtherepast, means positioningaa can at a point adjacentsaid path beyond the cutting meansifor receivingthe cut fruit, and means arrangedand adapted lto ,eject a predetermined plurality of pieces of the cut fruit into thecanlso positioned,;

, go and means actuated by said can upon its being :positioned to receivethe cut fruitfor actuating the fruit ejecting means. y g

'LInapparatus as defined in claim 6,; plus means for variablylimiting the number of;- out pieces adapted to,be. dischargedvby the fruit ,ejecting'meana' 8. Apparatus; for depositing fruit into comprising means arranged and'adapted'to convey'a plurality of individuel friut in-spaced rela- '30 tion along a circularpatl'r of travel, means for positioning a canadjacent a: point in thecircular path of the fruit for'receivin'g fruit ,f'rorn the fruit conveying means, and means actuatedby the fruit conveying means for depositing fruit on 3 5 said fruit conveying means and cutting means across the path of the fruit intermediate 40 i the fruit depositing means and fruit ejecting means whereby the fruit is cut. into severalpieces before'being discharged into the can. I

-, 9. Apparatus for depositin lerries into cans comprising .a vertically positioned cylindrical housing, a cylinder rotatable therein on'a 'horlzontal' axis, the outer. peripheral surface of the cylinder being substantially in sliding contact with the inner peripheral. surface of the housing,

said cylinder belng'provided around its outer 1 I 'meansactuated by a can .upon said can being positioned below said opening for rotating the cylinder a predetermined distance whereby a predetermined number of cherries are carried over the discharge opening for discharge into saidcan and means arranged and adapted to eject said predetermined number or cherries from the recesses and into the can, cutting means disposed adjacent a side of said cylinder and between the feed opening and discharge opening arranged and adapted to' bisect the individual cherries in the recesses before the cherries are carried by rotating of the cylinder to the discharge opening.

" f ibeApparatus rs-r depositing 'cherriesi' comprising a {vertically positioned .-.cy!indz1cal 1 housing, a cylinder "rotatable therein" on 'a hori- -zontal-axis,' the outer ot'the' cylinder 'bein: lsubstantially in contact with' the innenperipheral surface oft-he nous =ing,-"said cylinder being provided around itsouter peripheral side with a plurality ""o! {spaced rea v ceases, each-recess'beinz formed to receive a rim beinlprovided w'ithfafi'eed opening to: feeding cherriesinto-said and the housing being 'j I.;l'OV1dedat its lowersidewith s. discharzeopen ingsdapted; to uncovera plurality of said recesses gie cherry-"only; upper side oi isaid housing m r'ries' in the recesses will be m e'red by the: opening t-ior discharge therethrouzm "meansarranged and adapted to 908iindividual c'ansbelow said dischargeopening for receiving {fruit ejected therethrougml means actuated byaca'n-upon said can being positioned i below said opening for 1 rotating the 1 cylinder a predetermined distance whereby a' number oicherries are carried over thediaeharge opening forinto ,said :and' means 1 arranged-and aditpt .ed1toeject said predetermined "nnmber of cherries from the recesses into theean,"

' means; {or regulatingthe, degree t of: rotation voi 'idischarzeopening; 1 r

'--said cy2inder' thereby-regulatinz the number of :che'rries' adaptedfto'ibe said 111- pparatus b1 the character aewrlbedecmprlsingaconveyorarrangedand adaptedto move dr w- 1 "individu'aljiwliole pitted I in 5 equally spaced-relation "along; path '01 travel,

I 35 sai'd'cbnveyor being provided with a rowvof'spaced *out wa'rdly'opening hemispherically reiew ewmwn w hem PM; to w one oi saidcherries and saidconv Y- or havin'g a' groove initsiouter suriaceextending longitudinally-1o! the Mntrecessesalong a line bisectinz' the we; a eutting'knife' positioned with its cutting; edge; insaidxroove'adapted-ito bieect vcherries wing :saicln ec'ess esi u zgon :movement ot the-eonveybrpast thekniie; means mflnkedand-adapted,ltopositivelyieject the bi- 1 immsaid-recessesgupon movement -01 the conveyor sto eonvey the bisected-cherries;

to 'theejecting means, means arrangediqandq, '1

adapted to intermittently minute the :conveyor' for V. movinglithe same a --predetermined f distance,

-' separate? :whereby.;;- -a.;;*.predetermined c number)! cherries be ejected from the mnv m intervals; means ior moving a row not canspastthecherryejecting means adapted w:

conveyon'ji successively pofltion a rcanot..thev row tor re? "ceiving the'hisected cherries ejected from said 12." Apparatus m depositing I individual-g units i or druitv intoxcnns comprisingmeans adaptedto econveyi arowroi wertically positionedzcansv in 1 spaced relationalong a pathsot traveI means-d'isover said row" arranged adapted to in- 'termittently convey 38. row oi individual fruit units i'nbsphced' relation alongra path 01' travel to a-point tor eiectionioi's predetermined plurality or sndumuorrmnt mm successive cansofthe row oi can: as areemoved along path-of travel; means whei'ebyfluid pressure is plurality oi- -individualnnitsot fruit being moved theaioresaid'point for election into the cans.

i hppliedtoj each '0! theepredetermined plurality of; individual'units oi fruit upon-said predetermined 

